Continuation of Evangelion
by GX
Summary: First Fanfiction.net post. After Third Impact a peculiar red head must pilot Unit One
1. The Reactivation of Evangelion Unit One

Evangelion is property of someone other that me (you know who you are). I am aware that this one is rather short. BTW this might not be exactly what you expect. Such is my desire.  
  
The Reacitvation of Evangelion Unit One  
  
The new plugsuit she wore was a rather interesting one, silver covering most of it, with black streaks running down the arms and legs, the number 01 had been stenciled above the breast of the suit. It was nothing like the old red one that she wore.  
  
To be honest the girl preferred the red one, it matched her hair. Although she had to admit that the silver A-10 nerve connectors looked much better on her than the old red ones. She toyed with the idea keeping them in her hair, they held her hair in place as good as any bow could.  
  
It was a fairly familiar procedure. She couldn't count how many times in all of her seventeen years she had done it. Every time though she had surpassed her old score by at least two points. She knew that she was the star of the project. The unbeatable princess of Project-E, the one who no one could ever hope to equal, to say nothing of out perform. If there was a better EVA pilot out in the world, she had never met them.  
  
Evangelion Unit One. Every time she saw the EVA she was amazed at the shear size of the things. Always she felt strangely humbled in their presence. These were human kinds last hope for survival, the engine of their destruction made their salvation. Only a handful of people were even aware of their importance. While most viewed them as the ambitions of dangerous men, she knew better. In this her finest hour she would show the world just how great she was. She had never attempted to sync with Unit One before. It was logical though, since she was already proficient in the use of Unit Two, this would be nothing too big. Aside from that she knew all it's secrets, how the S^2 engine worked, how it could go berserk. How to control it's raw power. The components of the EVA project lay bare before her.  
  
She was not unaware of the danger she faced though, in the past Unit One had only accepted him. At one time Shinji Ikari was the designated pilot of the EVA, but he was gone now. The events were too painful to reveal now, since she was going to try to sync with it.  
  
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In the control room events were going as planned, this synchronization test was very important. Since the pilot had surpassed the abilities of Unit Two a trail of Unit One was necessary. The difference in the fact that Unit One had the S^2 engine, gave it higher importance than Unit Two. In a sense it was like giving the pilot a promotion.  
  
To say that Miss Katsuragi was worried would be an understatement, it was equivalent to saying that Second Impact was just a little ice melting, but she held her composure in front of her subordinates. It was an unfortunate necessity that she be able to use the EVA, but it's S^2 engine made it theoretically more reliable than the other EVA.  
  
It seemed to take forever. Misato thought that time had slowed down for the express purpose of making her MORE anxious, everything seemed to take a minute longer than it actually needed to. It seemed to her that the Pilot took more than an hour just to get situated in the entry plug.  
  
Inside Misato wanted to cry. Unit One had taken him from her, caused his death. Misato only had her left and she didn't want to lose her too.  
  
From somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the technician speak.  
  
"Col. Katsuragi, the pilot is waiting inside the EVA."  
  
"Are the safety measures in place?"  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
"And the Pilot?"  
  
"I'm ready," she heard the pilot's voice from the intercom system, "Don't worry Miss Misato," she could feel her guardian's anxiety, even if no one else could, "he won't refuse me."  
  
"I hope you're right," she prayed silently to any god that would listen to her, then commanded her crew, "activate EVA Unit One."  
  
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The pilot breathed in the LCL slowly, letting it fill her lungs. Sitting inside the entry plug, she waited for the inevitable. There were numerous voices blaring in the background, each one of them going on about their role in Unit One's reactivation. The patterns of colors that ran before her were somehow different then the ones in Unit Two, they seemed softer, almost shy. The pilot knew better though, 'this Eva was capable of bringing about another disaster on the world', her thoughts churned.  
  
She felt a new emotion from it just then, sadness, and she immediately felt sad herself.  
  
"I'm sorry," she could barely believe what she just said, "I guess I'm just nervous." It seemed odd to apologize to the EVA, but she knew -all things considered- that it was the most appropriate response.  
  
She felt he threshold of the absolute borderline, before the technicians could tell her even. At once she felt the presence, the soul of the EVA. It was not the feminine presence that it had once been. It felt shy, scared, somehow self conscience. Yet it also felt warm, familiar, like someone who she had known all her life.  
  
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"Pilot has passed absolute boarder," one of the techs said. He felt the eyes of the Col. stare a hole into him, looking at the results though proved to be so astounding though that he barely registered her, "amazing."  
  
"What is?" The tech spoke barely above a whisper, but Misato heard him none the less. She was scared, rationally so, but she looked at the monitor. "Unbelievable."  
  
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The Pilot felt the warm presence fade, and eventually disappear. Leaving the entry plug she was greeted by her guardian in a long embrace.  
  
"Miss Misato," she whined as she felt the air leave her lungs, "I can't breath." Reluctantly the older woman complied. Looking at her expectantly the young pilot asked, "so what was my sync ratio?"  
  
"Sixty five percent," she smiled and gave her a thumbs up, "you are number one." The almost brown eyes of the young girl lit up at hearing that. Misato smiled warmer then, saying solemnly "your parents would be proud, Karen Ikari. Come on," Misato said after her tone lightened, "I'll buy you a steak dinner, Lady Sixth Child." She smiled at her Grandmother, nodded, but Karen remained at in front of the EVA a little longer.  
  
"It was nice to have finally met you," she almost cried as she spoke to Unit One, "Father."  
  
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I have no idea what prompted me to do this one, guess the muse just struck me. I'd like to maybe do a little more, but that would most likely only happen if I get some kind of response. I don't really have a lot of stuff posted anywhere (actually I have none) but I have been writing fan fiction on and off for nearly three years. Ok I'm done with explaining myself so just tell me if you liked it or if you hated it.   
  
Ryuhiko@hotmail.com 


	2. Remembering the Past

See earlier chapter for disclaimer  
  
Remembering the Past  
  
The escalator was as slow as ever inside NERV HQ, probably slower since they had rebuilt it. In the days following Third Impact life for most people had been the same. Only those with intimate knowledge like Commander Ikari or Misato could even remember the events that followed the EVA series' devouring of most of Unit Two. In the almost twenty years that followed, Tokyo-3 was rebuilt in the remains of where the Geofront once sat. Again there was a bustling metropolis where once desolation and death stood.   
  
On the top level of the escalator Misato Katsuragi waited. Time had been kind to her, since fate had not been, she looked as beautiful as she had nearly twenty years ago, though her violet hair was now peppered with streaks of gray (or rather would have been if she didn't start dying her hair violet) and there were more than a few laugh lines on her face. She wore a black dress and heels, her old cross still around her neck. Today was an important day, one that called for the appropriate attire, there would be no levity from her today as she tried hard not to release her tears.   
  
As the figure came within eyesight, Misato looked her over. Never ceasing to be amazed at how much like both of them the girl looked. Her fiery red hair with it's obvious brown highlights, had been cut to just below her shoulder length, but with the silver A-10 interfaces still in place it reached to just above her back. Her eyes were deep blue, so much so that one could almost mistake them for brown. She wasn't exceptionally tall for her age and to her secret dismay her body had not filled out quite like her mother's or her guardian's, but with her long legs and gentle walk she still turned more than her fair share of heads at class. She wore a purple t-shirt, that Misato thought was too a little tight and a pair of loose gray pants with white sneakers, in her hands were two dozen white lilies and a single red rose. There was no smile on her bright face today, for she knew of this days importance as well.  
  
"Karen," Misato smiled at he charge, "are you sure that you want to go?"  
  
"Yea," she sighed, smiling a little, "they are my parents you know."  
  
"Of course," Misato smiled back, "I know that this will make them happy."  
  
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The Other City, that's what it had been called. For a long time the occupants of this city had far exceeded that of Tokyo-3. The rows of black monoliths had gone on for nearly three miles, a testament to the suffering brought about twenty years ago, where once was red earth was now green grass, proving that life can thrive anywhere. Their destination had not been that far in, it would be about ten minutes from the entrance. As they approached their intended destination Karen and Misato noticed two other people already at there.  
  
They weren't strangers either. Karen knew both of these two well, both wore the black uniforms reserved for only the top members of NERV, one was a woman with a pair of glassed on her face who knelt between the graves, she had blue hair. The other was a man standing next to her, only this one had gray hair combed and brought into a short pony tail at his back, both had red eyes. These were the two most powerful people at NERV, her Aunt and NERV's Commander Rei Ikari with her Sub-Commander at her side, Kaworu Nagisa.  
  
Karen only knew a little about Kaworu, that he had been close to her father, but his gentle nature and constant smile seemed to get on her as she found herself starting to get a crush on him. Aunt Rei, however was different. Karen understood fully the unique circumstances that revolved around her. Still regardless of what had happened, she loved her Aunt Rei and would always trust her.  
  
"Aunt Rei," Karen spoke quietly, breaking the commander of NERV from her revelry, "why are you here?"  
  
"The same reason you are," she said from behind her clear glasses, "to pay my respects to my brother and friend."  
  
"It's good to see you again Miss Ikari," Kaworu smiled, "you are the very image of both of your parents." He said after her kissed her lightly on the cheek. Despite the somber moment Karen found herself blushing after that kiss.  
  
"Indeed," Rei's voice seemed almost cold, "one need only look at you to remember them." She smiled softly at her niece and held her hands out to her. "Come dear, give your old Aunt a hug." Karen handed the flowers she held over to her guardian and complied.  
  
"It's been a while Aunt Rei," she felt warm in that embrace.  
  
"Yes it has," Rei said as she broke the embrace, "go on dear, do what you came here to do."  
  
Karen took back the flowers. Kneeling in between the two graves she placed the lilies over the graves marked Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Ikari. The graves of her parents. She prayed silently over them for a while, then she took the single red rose and placed it over the grave next to Shinji's that of Gendo Ikari.  
  
"How did it happen again?" Karen knew the answer, she had heard it more times in her life than she could remember. However she needed to confirm this, needed to hear it on this day.  
  
"Once we recovered Unit One from space," Rei spoke, not bothering to hide her grief, "Shinji tried to synchronize with it, but somehow it was too much for him and his heart stopped, we tried everything we could, but we could not save him. I remember," she spoke almost idly, "that he kissed your mother's stomach while she was still carrying you and said 'I love both of you.'"  
  
"Every one of us owes Shinji our lives," Kaworu spoke, knowing well that Karen did not begin to comprehend the level of gratitude that he felt. "If if he didn't care then none of us would be here."  
  
"And my Mother?" Karen asked, completely absorbed in the voices that encompassed her.  
  
"Killed by a sniper when you were still little," Misato had a hard time holding back her tears as she spoke, she could still remember talking to Asuka before it happened. "I had asked to be able to spend the day with you, no sooner than an hour after she had left you with me a member of some crazy religious group had taken her life thinking that it was her fault that mankind did not receive its salvation." The last word was spoken with nothing but acid. "I remember," she smiled, "she kissed you and told you not to be a pain and that she loved you." Quietly she sobbed remembering her two children.  
  
"They say," Kaworu spoke again, "that when a love bird dies it's mate will not wait long before she follows him. A full year after Shinji died, Asuka followed." His smile was now somewhat bitter. "People aren't birds though."  
  
She did not need to hear of her Grandfather's death, this was her parents day, a time that she reflected on them. "And their bodies lie here?" She asked as she patted the soft grass beneath her hand.  
  
"Yes," Rei seemed to now stare beyond them, "this is no artifice, it was the least we could do."  
  
Karen smiled sadly, "I think that is enough." She rose from her place between the graves, the wind picking up as she did. "Aunt Rei," she began hopefully, "do you want to come with us to get something to eat?"  
  
"I can't," she said softly, "the Colonel and I have a meeting to attend to because of Unit One's reactivation. I heard you did quite well."  
  
"Well," she blushed a little as the left the cemetery, "I had help."  
  
"I'm sure," she still smiled, "Commander Nagisa will escort you home."  
  
"Ahh..." she blushed even brighter, "is that so?"  
  
"Come on," Kaworu prompted, "I'll let you drive." Soon the four were separated, Col. Katsuragi found herself snickering as they parted ways with Karen and Kaworu.  
  
"He's going to regret that decision." The Col. said in low tones.  
  
"Yes," the Commander smiled, understanding, "he most certainly is."  
  
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There were few things that scared Kaworu Nagisa, the second in command of NERV and once the Angel of Free Will Tabris. He could count on one hand the things that truly scared him. Today there was another fear added to that list, driving with Karen Ikari. He had heard stories of her, but never understood the shear terror that Karen's driving had instilled in Misato until he experienced it for himself. Even Commander Ikari had been skittish about letting Karen drive. There was one saving grace though, the look of joy on her face as she drove almost made it worth it. Almost.  
  
Grateful was not the word. Reborn was more like it. The exhilarating rush Karen felt driving was nothing to the profound sense of gratitude Kaworu felt when it was over. Looking around the manmade canyons of Tokyo-3 Kaworu found what he thought for sure was their destination. The most expensive resturant in town the Moonglow Bistro. It was odd being human, he thought he actually heard his wallet groan in agony.  
  
"Is that where you want to eat?"  
  
"Huh?" she gave him a quizzical look as he motioned to the Moonglow Bistro. Karen wrinkled her nose at the thought. "No," she motioned to the small ramen stand on the other side of the street, "over there, best noodles in town."  
  
"Oh," he almost heard the sigh of his wallet.  
  
"Hey old man." Karen called out as she entered, hoping the cook was in.  
  
"Oh," came an older voice from behind the table, "is that you Karen?"  
  
"Who else would come to this dump?"  
  
"Hey," the old timer made a semblance of being hurt by her words, "if you don't like it you can always go to that French place across the street."  
  
"No thanks," she laughed, taking a seat at the bar next to Kaworu, "you know how much I like French food."  
  
"Okay then what will it be?"  
  
"I want a large beef ramen with garlic, peas and carrots."  
  
"You sir?"  
  
"A medium garlic and onion bowl."  
  
"Right, coming right up." The old man said as he began work on the orders.  
  
"You don't like meat," Karen blushed, looking away, "do you?"  
  
"Not really." He smiled, causing her to blush more.  
  
"Just like Aunt Rei." She whispered. "Mister Nagisa I-"  
  
"Kaworu," he cut her off, "You've known me your whole life Karen, in that time how many times have I told you to call me Kaworu?"  
  
"A lot, okay Kaworu sir," he wondered how long she was going to keep it up before she reverted to using her last name again, "could you tell me about my parents?"  
  
"That was an unexpected question," he laughed a little, "you know though I only knew your father, right?"  
  
"I just want to hear you talk about them," she lowered her head so that her bangs hid her eyes, "you've never talked about them, told me anything about them."  
  
"That's true," he didn't want to look into her eyes then, "where to begin." As he thought the old man brought in their orders. "Ah thanks."  
  
"Fastest noodles in town too," Karen joked from beneath her bangs, "hey old man, could you give us a minute?" The old codger grumbled something about lack of respect as he walked away giving them as wide a berth as he could.  
  
"So what do you want to know?" Kaworu asked.  
  
"Anything."  
  
"When I met your father he was a bit down, but I knew about his gentle soul. He was a kind person who would sooner harm himself before harming anyone he loved."  
  
"That's what Aunt Rei and Miss Misato both said."  
  
"They're right though, you have your father's gentleness too. Every time I look into your eyes I see him looking back. I once thought that music was the greatest part of the human experience, after what he did for you and your mother I knew it was love."  
  
"What did he do?"  
  
"He willingly got back into the EVA," he thought back to the past, "do you know how many times he wished he had never got into the thing?" She shook her head. "He hated them, but he did it anyway. He told me once that any place could be Heaven as long as you loved and were loved."  
  
"Thank you Mister Nagisa," Karen said as she began eating her ramen. "I think that is enough for tonight."  
  
"Any time Karen." They spent the rest of the meal in silence. Karen weighed the gravity of Kaworu's words, Misato had never told her that her father did not want to pilot the EVA. She found herself wondering secretly of the EVA itself.  
  
After they had finished eating Kaworu drove the Sixth Child home, insisting that he do the driving. The day had been full of sorrow for Karen, but otherwise a good day. She thought that any chance she got to know more about her parents was a good day. As Kaworu drove off from the front of the apartment complex that Karen and Misato lived in he said good night. Blushing a little when he offered to take her back to the ramen stand. Karen had indeed thought of this as a good day.  
  
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(exert taken from the Random House Japanese-English dictionary)  
  
Japanese translation Note: Karen (na) adj. lovely or attractive (woman or flower)  
  
A friend asked me why I used the name Karen over my initial choice of Ai. The reason is I liked this one better, it seemed fitting. Thanks for all the feedback, I've decided to see where this one takes me, so please expect more and longer chapters to come in the future.  
  
So what did you think of this one, I'm just an email away if you want to tell me.  
  
Ryuhiko@hotmail.com 


	3. The Attack

See earlier chapters for disclaimer  
  
The Attack  
  
"Karen are you ready?" Maya Ibuki, the head of the new Project-E asked. The control room that she now occupied was not very different from the one she had twenty years ago when she was just a tech. These new techs seemed well suited to their jobs also, the three person team of Hironobu Kageyama, Hikaru Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki worked very well together. In truth the only thing different was the airs exuded by the Commander, Sub-Commander and the Operations director. They seemed to make the small control room a lot more comfortable that the old ones could.  
  
"I'm ready." She answered, exuding the same air of confidence she had during Unit One's initial reactivation.  
  
"Okay," the doctor responded, "this one is a little different from before. After you sync with Unit One we want you to go through exercise programs four through thirteen. This will test your abilities to actually pilot the EVA, when you're done with those we'll go to the combat training."  
  
"Is that really necessary?" The pilot questioned. "I've already handled all the exercise programs with Unit Two so what's the point?"  
  
"But this isn't Unit Two Karen," the operations director spoke, somehow coming back to her old way for just a moment. "Since you've started in a different EVA we need to start over with your sync training."  
  
"Right," from inside the entry plug the pilot sighed, at least she tried to, but what came out was a cluster of LCL bubbles. Hiding it ever so slightly the Commander smiled.  
  
"Commence activation." The Sub-Commander spoke. In no time at all the Evangelion was activated, the tests, drills and procedures fully under way.  
  
"Sixth Child maintaining a steady sync rate of sixty five percent." Hironobu informed them.  
  
"Col. Katsuragi," the Commander motioned her to join them. "Have you heard the status on the Seventh?"  
  
"No," Misato shook her head, "nothing except that he's coming from America in a week, when we finally finish the repairs to Unit Two."  
  
"So you don't know who he is?" The Commander asked, receiving a head shake as her response. "His name is Yuu Williams, I think you two met him."  
  
"Oh no," Misato shook her head, "not that kid."  
  
"What's wrong?" The Sub-Commander asked.   
  
"He and Karen don't get along at all," the look the two officers gave her prompted her to continue, "they went out when Karen and I were at the American NERV branch, but right before we came back they got into an argument and almost a fist fight."  
  
"So they have a history then?" This was not good, the Commander knew that they could not just drop the Seventh because of personal problems, she would however do her best from keeping contact between the two to a minimum. Whatever happened to the two would need to be resolved and soon.  
  
"That's unfortunate," the Sub-Commander spoke, "the old men have started to move again and we might not have the time needed for them to work together." No sooner had he finished his sentence had the Commander's cell phone began to ring. "Speak of the devil."  
  
"Understood," the Commander rose as she finished her conversation on the phone, "Doctor Ibuki, cancel the tests and prepare Unit One for immediate deployment." When she finished she looked over to the Operations Officer, "get all the necessary equipment and a carrier craft." Saying what was necessary the Commander turned to leave.  
  
"Where are we going and why?"  
  
"To Taiwan. Nagisa was correct," she answered without turning back, "they have made their move." A silence followed, all of the people in the control room knew what it meant. "It's an Angel."  
  
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Karen could scarcely believe what had happened next. When the exercises ended without explanation she was confused. When Misato rushed her out of the plug she was concerned. When she entered the long range carrier craft designed to move the Evangelion still in her plug suit she was down right scared.  
  
"Miss Misato," she tried to yell over the onslaught of workers who were trying to prepare the EVA for deployment, "what's happening here?"  
  
"We have to deploy now." She answered without looking at her charge.  
  
"Where?" Karen felt the familiar sensation of fear creep over her as she began to understand what that meant.  
  
"Taiwan," Misato barked out an order to one of the support techs that Karen couldn't understand, "Karen I need you to stay in the carrier and wait, I'll be there soon."  
  
The Sixth Child did as she was told and for what felt like hours she waited for her Godmother to take the seat next to her.  
  
The carrier wasn't anything extravagant, the walls were bare with the support struts in clear view. When the plane finally took off Karen could swear she heard every vibration, felt every bit of turbulence that the plane came across. There were passenger seating, but the seats were built more for function than comfort, it felt like sitting on an old bar chair. She wondered what the other ten craft that followed were like. The only out of place item was the entry plug sticking out of the floor, this ensured that the pilot could get into her EVA in a moments notice.  
  
"It's about time," Karen said as Misato took the seat next to her, "what's going on?"  
  
"About twenty minutes ago the Commander got a call about an Angel on the Island of Taiwan," the Colonel smiled a little. In the old days it would have been impossible for such a deployment to be made ready in that time. "The reports say that it is just standing in the outskirts of the main city." She handed Karen a picture of the Angel. To say the creature was odd was an understatement, like all the other Angels before it this one had an eclectic appearance. It was just a black ball standing on two human like black legs.  
  
"That's an Angel?" Karen attempted to look at the pictures from every angle including upside down. "Where did it come from?"  
  
"As far as we know it just appeared there." Misato sighed, like the old days the reliable portions of the information could barely be discerned.  
  
"So what am I supposed to do?" Karen wanted, needed more information than she had. If she was going to destroy this creature she would need an edge greater then the S^2 engine.  
  
"Destroy it," was the simple answer Misato gave, "from what we are able to tell the core of the Angel is somewhere in the center."  
  
"I can tell that!" Karen snapped at her caretaker, if she was going to fight the damn thing she needed to be better prepared.  
  
"I'm sorry," the Operations Director spoke, "but this is all we have."  
  
"It's not enough," She spoke low, "I don't want to die fighting something because I don't know all the facts." Karen's voice rose with each word until eventually she was yelling. "You're not risking your life out there, you just sit comfortable in this stupid plane while I go out there to die."  
  
"That's enough," Misato spoke over the girl's voice, "don't for a second think I'm comfortable here. The last thing I want is to lose another child." Misato clenched her hands in her lap, closing her eyes to will away the tears that were threatening to release from her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I never told you did I?" She looked to the younger girl, smiling sadly. "After Third Impact I found out that I was pregnant," she paused to let the notion sink into Karen's mind, "but there were complications and the child was lost. After that I found out that I could never have children," the tears flowed freely now, "shortly after that I lost Shinji. He told me before he died that should anything happen to him he would be honored if I would look after you.  
  
"Shinji was seventeen when he died, the same age you are now. After what happened to the two children I had known so well and the one I never will I promised myself, your mother and father that I would never let you down. That's why I came back to NERV, to protect you."  
  
"Miss Misato I," Karen didn't know what to say, never before had her guardian revealed so much about herself. Not once in the whole time that Karen had known her. "I'm sorry."  
  
The way she said it, the way she hid her eyes with her bangs, the way she clenched and unclenched her fists was exactly how she remembered him doing it. Misato had to fight back tears once again as she brought her arm to rest on the young girl's shoulders, she then brought the two heads closer together and looked at her goddaughter's face.  
  
"Just don't think you're fighting alone out there okay?" They smiled at each other. "If anything happens I'll take the damn thing out with my bare hands." Karen laughed at that, somehow finding Misato punching out the Angel to be a very believable scenario.  
  
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"T-minus three minutes to contact with the target," the pilot informed them. By this time Karen was waiting in the entry plug of Unit One. Her hands gripped the control yokes tight, her knuckles going white from the force. Underneath them the main city and ocean could be seen, the Angel standing just outside it's limits  
  
"You ready?" Misato's voice came over the intercom. "There's no turning back after this."  
  
"Not really," Karen's nervous smile was all that broke the tension of the moment, "but I don't think I have a choice at the moment."  
  
"When were done here I'll take you to Tokyo-3 Disneyland. So look forward to it."  
  
"Miss Misato," her tone was somewhat patronizing, "I think I'm a little too old for that."  
  
"Oh really," Misato could not help but laugh, "this coming from the girl who last week wanted to invite her friends for a sleep over?"  
  
"That's different." Karen cried, her dignity having seen better days.  
  
"We'll talk later okay." She said, the target now in range. "Evangelion Unit One, Launch!"  
  
Breaking free of the carrier the Evangelion dove to the ground below, breaking the fall with it's hands and feet. Raising itself to it's full height it was plain to see that the two entities were of even height. Wasting no more time the Eva removed it's progressive knife from it's holding, gripping the blade with both hands ready to attack the Angel.  
  
Realizing the danger the Angel's main body began to widen itself, as it expanded four separate arms became discernable each one as long as it's human like legs. These arms were different, the were more like insect arms than human appendages.  
  
"What the hell." The pilot asked anyone willing to listen.  
  
"Impossible." Misato called out.  
  
"There," Karen said as she saw the core of the Angel now visible with the arms extended. Hurling herself and her Evangelion at the Angel she prepared to strike. As she did she felt the concussive force of the Angel's many arms, the force almost enough to knock her unconscious, each one slamming against the EVA and knocking it back into a forest. 'Better than if it hit the city,' Karen thought.  
  
Barely having the time needed to recover the EVA moved before the Angel brought the arms to bear down on her last position. Running around the Angel to find an open area of attack Karen quickly realized that she would not be able to do any damage to the creature with only her short range knife. Sensing this Col. Katsuragi acted.  
  
"Drop the energy rifle now." She commanded one of the circling aircrafts.  
  
The oddly large shotgun like weapon was literally dropped in her lap as Karen moved to recover from another onslaught from the Angel. Taking the weapon in hand Karen attempted to shoot the arms blocking her entry. The arms were too agile as Karen found herself wasting her ammunition.  
  
As Misato watched the battle, she noticed something, only the arms moved. The damned thing had not moved it's legs once since it was spotted. "Karen," she screamed, despite the fact that she would be heard at the same level over on her end, "go for the legs!"  
  
"Right," firing the last of the rifle's ammunition the pilot destroyed the legs, sending it crashing down to the ground below. As the creature fell it positioned it's arms to face the ground. Instantly Misato and Karen realized their mistake, without the legs to keep it still the Angel would become a harder target to attack.  
  
The Angel was now mobile.  
  
"Crap." Throwing away the empty rifle the EVA went again for it's progressive knife. The Angel was now impossibly fast, it's appendages making it run literal circles around the EVA. Stopping suddenly behind the Evangelion the Angel lunged towards it. "Crap," spinning the EVA around Karen brought her knife to bare down on the Angel, the blade piercing the core.  
  
"She did it." Misato called out from the control plane. However the Angel did not stop it's charge, wrapping the body around the EVA in a black gelatinous mass. It's body lit up as Misato knew from experience what would happen next. "It's going to self-destruct, everyone clear out."  
  
"The EVA's A.T. Field is down," Misato heard the tech named Ayumi call out from her own craft, "T-minus ten to detonation."  
  
"God no." Misato Whispered.  
  
Inside the EVA Karen could tell that it was over, the Angel in it's last desperate plea would take itself out along with the EVA. She tried to keep the A.T. Field going, but the battle had worn her to the point of where she was barely conscious. It was all she could do to keep the EVA standing upright.  
  
"This sucks," she whispered as she tried to move the control yokes, "guess I'll get to see Father and Mama sooner than I planned." Something happened then. A struggle underneath the black matter began.  
  
"Five seconds left." The tech informed them.  
  
The EVA's arms could be seen breaking through the mass.  
  
"Four seconds."  
  
The arms then gripped the mass around it.  
  
"Three seconds."  
  
Then lifting the mass off of the purple behemoth it issued a horrible roar.  
  
"Two."  
  
With all of it's strength the EVA threw the black mass into the sky arcing it towards the open sea.  
  
"One." The explosion that followed was one Misato had seen before, a purple light in the shape of a cross filled the vision of every pilot and engineer.  
  
"What happened to the pilot?" Misato asked the technicians over the intercom.  
  
"Life signs confirmed, but it's strange."  
  
"What is?" Misato was franticly fearing the worst.  
  
"According to the readings the pilot was unconscious when the EVA removed the Angel."  
  
"So that's what it was," Misato chuckled privately, glad the situation was under control, "he protected her."  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
"That same wall," Karen had seen that wall before. When she was about twelve she had climbed an old pine tree, the wall being the next thing she had seen after a nasty fall. She still had the small scar it left on her left arm. Karen looked at her body to see no IVs or monitors hooked up to her body, her body on it's side her arms laid at the same side.  
  
She felt incredibly sore, the exertion from the fight too much for her. She had some doubts as to how she survived, chalking it up to the power of the EVA. Using her arms to prop herself up Karen prepared to leave the bed.  
  
"Oh, you're awake?" Sub-Commander Nagisa said as he entered the room. Realizing that she was in a hospital gown and nothing else Karen quickly lied back down and covered herself with her blanket.  
  
"How long have I been out?" Karen managed to say stuttering badly and blushing brightly.  
  
"Just a few hours," he smiled, "you gave us a big shock with the way you handled that Angel."  
  
"How's Miss Misato?"  
  
"She's fine, just getting some coffee and yes," he answered the next question before she spoke it, "the Commander is with her." No sooner had he said that then the two women in question entered.  
  
"Hi," Karen said rising to sit from her bed, realizing that the gown covered more than enough for the moment. "Sorry to keep you waiting."  
  
"The Princess just woke," Kaworu said, putting his hand on her crown, "I was just telling her how long she was out." Had Kaworu paid any attention he would have seen Karen turn a bring shade of red, her eyes looking like that of a deer's caught in the way of a speeding car.  
  
"I'm feeling better now," she managed to say, wondering why she was so completely out of breath.  
  
"I see," her Aunt Rei smiled, "well that's good for you. When you are ready we have to debrief you on the operation." Leaving her with another smile, the Commander took her leave, flanked by her Sub-Commander.  
  
"Well," Misato had an odd look in her eyes, "I'll bet you're feeling better now."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" The Sixth asked physically taken aback.  
  
"Oh Commander Nagisa," she moaned as she clasped her hands together at the side of her head, "I feel much better now that you're here, but I think you should examine me yourself." Removing her hands form their clasp Misato motioned her right index finger over her bottom lip, "Maybe you should examine me here-" Misato never finished her comment, finding it incredibly hard to with her mouth full of Karen's pillow.  
  
"Oh shut up." Karen exclaimed finishing with a sigh. "You're going to torment a recovering victim like that, what kind of guardian are you?"  
  
"Sure," Misato smiled suddenly somber. The way that Karen spoke, even if she was joking, the movement of her lips, the way her eyes fixed themselves, even the frown on her face were all like her's. Noticing this Misato found it harder to keep up her game. She hoped that she would get over this nostalgia soon, otherwise she might not ever be able to tease Karen again, which she thought would be horrible, since she was such an easy target.  
  
"Now about that slumber party," Karen asked hoping to break the tension of the moment.  
  
"You're still going on about that?" Misato laughed, glad Karen's plan worked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There you have it, the first Angel battle. More to come after my little trip to the Big Apple Animefest, in the mean time read review and get the info to me, for the most part it's the questions in those reviews that keep me writing this thing. Tell me how I did  
  
Ryuhiko@hotmail.com 


	4. Only for Them

See earlier chapter for disclaimer.  
  
Only for Them  
  
Misato hated performing for the press. Since the reformation of NERV the United Nations had invoked even stricter sanctions on their activities such as almost daily inspections of the facilities and a full psychological evaluation of the members almost weekly. In truth the only thing that Misato hated more was that she was dying her hair almost as often as she had her evaluation.   
  
Today the press was to receive a full tour of the facilities, at least a tour of the unclassified areas. Somehow the Commander had decided that the Operations Director was the perfect person to give this tour. 'Rei might have grown a bit,' she thought, 'so maybe she's also grown to like watching me go through hoops for her.'  
  
"Greetings ladies and gentlemen of the press," Misato greeted the room where they had been waiting, "I'm the head of Ops here Colonel Misato Katsuragi, I'll be showing you around our little facility." Misato put on her best act for the press, fearing that this was another U.N. plan to see if NERV was hiding something from them.  
  
As Misato guided the press through the halls of the headquarters, she spoke about various points of interest all the while making sure that she stuck to the scripted lines that she had prepared. The U.N. officials were likely to throw a fit if the press had heard something different then them, she spoke carefully making sure that she told them exactly what she told the inspectors during their visits.  
  
"The New NERV facility houses a number of interesting components," she felt more like a tour guide at Disneyland then a Military Strategist, she was going to make Rei pay for this. "In addition to the four Evangelion holding cages the facility holds three runways for the more than twenty deployment aircraft that the support the EVAs during a deployment."  
  
"When can we see-" one of the more ambitious reporters began before he was cut off.  
  
"Save all questions for after the tour." She spoke without missing a beat.  
  
Over the course of the tour Misato told them all about the base, the Evangelions and the battle in Taiwan. When it was over they convened in a press room where she told them she would answer any questions that they might have. It was then that she was bombarded. Using all her patience Misato informed them to ask one at a time.  
  
"When will the next Angel attack?" One asked.  
  
"We don't know," Misato answered, elaborating, " we just intercept them as soon as we can."  
  
"Hanako Doskoi," one of the reporters introduced themselves, "Tokyo-3 Across, when can we meet the pilots?"  
  
"That's not going to happen," Misato answered, "the identities of the Children are classified Codeword Clearance, the Commander initiated this after the incident involving the Second." It was then that she was glad Karen had class today. She didn't want some over zealous reporter snooping around and finding her.  
  
"Usagi Tsukino, Tokyo Moon," another introduced herself, "is it true that Unit Two will be shipped here soon?"  
  
"Yes." Misato answered not elaborating any further.  
  
"Satsuki Yatouji, Tokyo-3 Tech, why are the Angels appearing now twenty years after the aversion of Third Impact?"  
  
"We don't know." The Questioning went on like that for some time, several times the reporters would try to learn more about the pilots themselves. It reminded Misato that she still had to tell Karen about the new pilot. She hoped for a little more time to get that.  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
"You know," Kaworu said behind his commanding officer, the elevator taking them further down, "you could have had Dr. Ibuki lead that conference tour, she seems more like the type to do that sort of thing anyway."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Do you enjoy watching her squirm or something?" Kaworu's brows quirked.  
  
"Something like that."  
  
"Now what?" Kaworu spoke of more pressing matters. "From what we know the old men are just lashing out now that they have lost their means of achieving Instrumentality."  
  
"I don't think that they are." She said, barely looking over to acknowledge him. "There is something more to this than we now know."  
  
"You think that they found another way?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"But, without Shinji there can't be an Instrumentality."  
  
"From what we know yes," softly Rei sighed, "Shinji is the main component, without him there will be no chance at it for at least another two thousand years."  
  
"Unless they found another way."  
  
"Yes." As Rei said this the visage of Unit One became plain to see, from the elevator. Seeing this Rei's own visage relaxed noticeably.  
  
"You felt the same thing I did when we saw the image didn't you."  
  
"Yes," had Kaworu been looking at her face, he would have noticed the slight hardening of her eyes, "whatever these new creatures are, they aren't true Angels." As Unit One's sight left them, the rest of Rei's features hardened noticeably to Kaworu.  
  
"Only for them," Kaworu smiled off handedly as he left the elevator at his desired floor, "see you tonight."  
  
"Yes," Rei confirmed, her voice becoming the monotone she had used fifteen years ago, "only for them."  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
It had been about a week since the Angel attack, but there was no respite for the illustrious Sixth Child. She had an English language paper due in four days, two papers on Shakespeare due next week and some calculus problems to have finished by tomorrow. It was hell, but in the end it was what she wanted.  
  
"College," she whispered to herself as she left the Tokyo-3 University campus on the metropolitan bus. If she kept up this the current work load she would finish her second term in a few months. Karen smiled brightly to herself, it wasn't that she was in her second term or that she had just received an A+ on her report of the Post Post Second Impact economy that she wrote for her Social Sciences class. It wasn't even for the one hundred percent score she got on her Physics test, it was because Misato had finally broke down. Saturday night, tomorrow night, she would finally get her slumber party.  
  
Since the Angel attack there was nothing she was looking forward to more, Misato had to work late that night and would not be around to bother her, also her friends would not have to worry about getting up early for school because there was none. She sighed, it had been a long time since she had the chance to be with Chi and Reika, too long in fact. Between her EVA tests and college she had little time for a personal life.  
  
She thought of what she would do tonight. Misato would be late since she had the press tour to conduct, the calculus would take her only a short while to finish and everything was already in place for the sleepover. Tonight would be somewhat boring, which all things considered, wasn't a bad thing. Silently Karen prayed that there would be no emergency sync tests, that her cell would remain silent.  
  
The digitized playing of Queen's 'We are the Champions' quickly dashed those hopes.  
  
Had anyone on the bus paid attention to her they would have seen her cringe like a splinter was being removed from (or inserted into) her finger. Karen knew that it had to be a test of some kind, otherwise the rest of the city would have erupted in a flood of activity as well. Mentally she prepared herself for any kind of scenario. Except the one that had come to pass.  
  
"Hello," she answered the ring, a little confused, "this is Ikari."  
  
"Ah, Karen," the familiar voice spoke, "it's Hikari."  
  
"Mrs. Suzuhara," the apprehension in her voice disappeared noticeably, "what's wrong?"  
  
"I need a favor."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can you watch Souske tonight for us."  
  
'Us,' that could only mean one thing, both she and her husband wanted some 'personal' time. Karen didn't want a further elaboration. She would have in fact refused if she had gotten one, but no explanation was forthcoming.   
  
"Sure, I don't mind." In truth she didn't, she liked the young Souske Suzuhara very much. Like his big sister almost, it also didn't hurt that he referred to her as such. This was also just the distraction that she needed to keep her pleasantly busy.  
  
"Great please meet at our house at six." There was a sign on the other end, barely discernable, but she heard it.  
  
After ending the conversation Karen checked the time on her phone. It was Three forty, that gave her just enough time to shower change and be at the Suzuhara's before the appointed time. Apparently tonight wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Big Apple Anime Fest was fun, sung 'Mystic Eyes,' gobbled like a turkey and bought numerous anime parapahnelia.   
  
Anyway, please review (is anyone even reading this thing?) I don't want this one to go unfinished, I want to know where the readers think I should really go from here.  
  
Ryuhiko@hotmail.com 


	5. Then What?

Before I begin I'd like to thank those that reviewed, you guys rock. Standard disclaimers still apply.  
  
What Then?  
  
The Suzuhara household was very different from the houses that she had seen in America, the house itself seemed like it belonged in an earlier time, the Meiji era maybe. The house used all the old style trappings, paper windows, hard wood floors. The house was more like an old shrine, like it had been there since before Second Impact. That was however, impossible.  
  
The house had been built at the high point of Hikari's husband Touji's basketball career. Touji had since retired, from the sport but kept a controlling stock in his old team, The Tokyo-3 Penguins. This allowed him and his family to live out their days comfortably. Comfortable, but never in excess. Touji still coached a youth group basketball team, Hikari still worked as a high school teacher and they both still raised their son Souske.  
  
Souske was viewed as the terror of his school, Karen even remembered hearing that Souske had forced his current teacher to go into early retirement. He would force telemarketers that had the misfortune of calling their house to scream in frustration. Karen also heard that when he was two the boy's parents did not sleep until he turned three.  
  
Despite all this Karen could tell that he was a good kid. He was like his father was at one time, lacking in confidence and over compensated by being abrasive. This was not the Souske that Karen knew however, the boy that she knew was kind and soft-hearted, someone who was more prone to crying than lashing out.  
  
Arriving at the door, Karen gave it a soft knock, knowing that she would not have to wait very long, as is was almost six o'clock on the dot. This night, Karen wore a black tank top with an open green button shirt, a pair of gray pants and her old sneakers, on her right shoulder she wore a black school bag. After about thirty seconds Karen let herself in announcing her presence to the house. The old style of the architecture still surprised her, even now.   
  
"Oh Karen," Hikari greeted the girl as she put on a pair of earrings. At age thirty five Hikari was a vision of beauty, her figure had filled out and her hairstyle had changed to a single pony tail instead of the twin pig tails she wore in middle school. Now she stood just a little taller than Karen. She still had a few freckles here and there, but this accentuated her beauty more than anything. She wore a black skirt and deep blue blouse with high heels, something to catch her husband's eye no doubt.  
  
"Hello Mrs. Suzuhara," Karen bowed as was polite for someone who had entered without proper permission, "sorry for intruding." She didn't know exactly why she was apologizing so formally, she had never felt the need to do so before. Waving off the passing sentiment, Karen pressed on with the current issues. "Where is Souske?"  
  
"He's with his father now." She said putting on the other earring. "Thanks for doing this on such short notice. I know that you are busy with college and all."  
  
"It's no trouble Mrs. Suzuhara," Karen smiled, "I like being with Souske, he's like my little brother."  
  
"I'm sure he likes that," Hikari smiled back, "there is plenty of food in the refrigerator, so feel free to make what ever you want, Souske hasn't eaten yet, but normally does so at around seven." The whole time Karen smiled and nodded, she knew what to do. However going through the emergency numbers about five times seemed to put Hikari at ease. Karen was tempted to show Hikari her the CPR certification card that all NERV members carried, but feared that would only worry the poor woman more.  
  
When all was said and done, Hikari walked Karen out to the center courtyard. There she found Souske swinging by his hands of his father's left arm. To some, looking at Souske was like looking at the past, he was the very image of his father, right down to his slim build.  
  
"Look who's here Souske," Hikari spoke, "it's Karen."  
  
"Hi," Karen waved nervously at the young boy, not liking being put on the spot, "how are you."  
  
"Karen!" The boy cried out as he let go of his father's arm. He hit the ground on his butt with a hard thud, this however did nothing to slow him down as he continued his mad dash for the young Miss Ikari. Karen's memory of that moment was a little fuzzy, all she remembered was the youth jumping to hug her, then she herself crashing down to the ground. She also remembered that he hugged her a bit too tight for her tastes as she felt her breasts being crushed against him.  
  
"You have the numbers is anything happens," Hikari tried to speak over her husbands loud laughter, "we'll see you later."  
  
"Have fun." Karen spoke dryly.  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
Rei's office was nothing like the commander's before her. Where as that office was almost wastefully large, her office was rather small. She had her desk specially made and imported from America, it's size suitable for her needs. There were file cabinets along with a computer terminal. Although not the same size as the last commander's it still gave off the same cold air. There were only the necessities with but one exception, there next to her telephone was a single picture, that of a young boy. The picture itself was kept in remarkable condition, the only way one would know it's age was through the picture resolution. The picture was somewhat old.   
  
She was not normally alone in her office, usually her Sub-Commander was at her side. Today he had some pressing business to attend to. However because he wasn't there didn't mean that she was alone. Across from her was a young man, no more than seventeen. The boy a platinum blonde hair had skin almost as pale as her own, his eyes were gray, the same gray as her Sub-Commander's hair. He held himself with dignity, an air of command about him, he trusted himself.  
  
Though he said not a word, did not move from his seat, Commander Ikari could tell. This was the new 'Seventh Child' Yuu Williams, that had been brought in by the U.N. from the American NERV branch. He had high marks from them in synchronizing with the test plugs, he passed their psychological tests with flying colors.  
  
By all rights Rei should have been able to trust him with Unit Two even if it was a moot point. However many points he had in his favor with the U.N. there was one thing that she could not forget, Karen didn't trust him. Misato had told her of the fight that the two almost had, of the near crazed look in Karen's eyes then. That was the reason that she needed to meet him, even if Karen didn't like him he was the only other person in the world who could pilot an Evangelion. She needed to be able to trust him to do what was necessary.  
  
"Excuse me Commander," the boy spoke in an even soprano voice, "why did you ask me here?"  
  
"Yuu Williams," she spoke in her own monotone, "designated the Seventh Child and pilot of Unit Two, you are aware what is required of you, no?"  
  
"Yes Ma'am." His voice, much like his posture never broke.  
  
"Tell me," unconsciously Rei entwined her fingers just underneath her nose, "can you be trusted to work with the Sixth?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Confusion, Rei only had to apply more pressure.  
  
"You are aware of the Identity of the Sixth child?"  
  
"Yes Ma'am."  
  
"Tell me what happened." The Seventh froze, it was not a request. "You are aware that she has higher priority than you?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Then you should also be aware of the fact that if it comes down to a choice between the two of you she would win. Now tell me what happened."  
  
The Seventh had gone noticeably paler, but he held his ground. "No Ma'am, that has nothing to do with you." From behind her glasses Rei Ikari stared into the soul of the youth, Yuu Williams. She saw him shrink back, prepare himself mentally for what ever she had planned.  
  
"You are dismissed." There was no need for him to be there anymore, not since Rei had achieved her goal. The boy could be trusted, she had to admit that his control was admirable. Never the less she had achieved her goal, she had succeeded in making him sweat.  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
"You win." Karen dropped the controller in frustration.  
  
"That's thirty to four," Souske grinned, "do you want to play another game?"  
  
"That's okay," She said as she rose from her seat, "I think I'll just get started on dinner now."  
  
"What are we having?"  
  
"What do you want?" That dry tone she had used before returned.  
  
"Lets see," the youth wrinkled his brow in concentration. With any luck the boy would want something simple, but different, like hamburgers or spaghetti. "I've always wanted to try fondue."  
  
"Huh?" The shock that she felt was almost enough for her to fall over. Of all the foods she knew how to cook, of all the dishes that she fed Misato, of all the cuisines in the world, it had to be French. "I don't suppose that you would like something else," there was a hopeful almost desperate gleam in her eyes, "would you?"  
  
"Can you make pizza?" Now there was progress, Karen knew quite a few pasta dishes as she enjoyed Italian food very much. However not many houses had the right ingredients for a decent pizza. Also there was the fact that she wasn't the best cook in Tokyo-3, far from it. Despite the fact that she had cooked for Misato almost every day since she was twelve, Karen was quite self-conscious about her cooking ability. However if the Suzuhara's had what was needed she couldn't see why not.  
  
"Let's find out," Karen said as she walked to the kitchen. The kitchen was unlike the rest of the house, it was very modern, by comparison. There were electric stoves and ovens, a sink, a dish washer and refrigerator/freezer lined in that order facing a large window. Next to that was a counter and cutting board.  
  
Looking through the numerous cabinets and the refrigerator Karen found all the ingredients she needed, even a box of instant curry that she could use as a topping(1). In no time at all Karen had made what she hoped was a decent pizza, this however was left to the young food critic.  
  
As the young Suzuhara inspected the pizza he found that there was nothing wrong with it. He did not say anything to the effect of how it tasted, but the fact that he ate almost half the pie in what seemed like a few bites was a good sign.  
  
After their meal Karen had Souske wash up and changed for bed, it was nearly eleven at night and Souske had school in the morning. Also Karen still had to do those calculus problems. To say nothing of the fact that she herself had class the next day.  
  
After Souske had finished washing up Karen looked him over, trying to make sure that he did all that was necessary.  
  
"Did you clean behind your ears?" Her head was tilted and she let her knuckles to rest on her hips. As many times as she watched him for the Suzuhara's, Karen always made sure that he got everything.  
  
"Yes." It was true that Souske was familiar with this ritual, but that didn't mean that he had to like it.  
  
"Brush your teeth?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Floss?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay," she smiled warmly at him, "you'll thank me for this someday, now lets get you to bed."  
  
"Um," Souske started to look nervous eventually breaking off eye contact, "Karen?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you carry me?"  
  
It seemed like an odd request from a nine year old boy. Most of the children she had meet in her life would try to act as much like an adult as they could. Karen remembered vividly of how they acted when she herself was nine years old.  
  
"I don't see why not." Karen's smile grew warmer. Lifting the boy in her arms she brought his head to rest on her shoulder, the sent of the shampoo that she used in her auburn hair filling his senses. Souske went quiet then, having gone to sleep in her arms. Karen managed to make it to his room without rousing the boy, even as she lay him down to sleep in his futon, the boy did not stir. The gentle rhythm of his breathing was all that ensured that he still existed. When she finished putting him to bed she set out to the living room, there sitting at the Kotatsu(2) she began her homework.  
  
After about a half an hour Karen had finished her homework for the next day. The calculus was harder than she imagined and she found herself glad that she finished it. Karen had remembered Misato telling her that her mother had graduated from college by the time she turned fourteen. Although she had fallen far behind her mother she still wanted to prove that she could do it.  
  
As it always did, thoughts of her parents had surfaced. The regrets began to resurface. Kaworu had told her that her father had tried to go back to the Evangelion because he wanted to protect her, did that mean if she was never conceived her father would still be alive? Then there was her mother who had died because she had gone to her husbands grave. Was that also her fault?  
  
Then there were the people that she knew. She could still hear Misato cry herself to sleep sometimes, was it because of her parents death? Aunt Rei was always warm and comforting when she was around, but she had remembered times when she wasn't aware of her and she would be as cold as ice. Kaworu, who always had a gentle smile also always had a sad look in his eyes, he had confided in her that he and her father were close, would often say that her father was the sole reason that he lived today.  
  
How many people had she hurt simply by being born?  
  
"Hey sis?" Karen whirled around, her legs leaving the warmth of the kotatsu. There she saw Souske, bleary eyed and scared. Tears glimmered trailing down his eyes as he lunged for her. Wrapping his arms around her waist he placed his head in her lap and cried.  
  
Karen's first reaction was shock, as it always seemed these days, but that shock quickly subsided as she brought her hands down to rest on his small back.  
  
"I had a horrible dream," he said in between sobs, "I dreamt I was strangling you, but I didn't want to. Then you started to fight back and when I tried to ask you to stop you wouldn't and- and-"  
  
"Shush," she whispered to him, her lips warming his ears, "it's okay, I'll protect you. I'd never try to hurt you. My feelings will protect you, I'll protect you. Now just go back to sleep." The sincerity in her voice calmed him, as she shushed Souske and kissed his crown. She didn't know when it started, but before she could stop she began singing to him, It was an old song, one that Misato had on her antiquated CD collection. She remembered vaguely the song's name, in fact she only really remembered singing one stanza, but she continued singing as it helped soothe the poor boy.  
  
______________________________________  
  
Tondeyukimasu, itsumo no tokoro e  
  
Taiyou takaku, ashita mo hare desu  
  
Moshimo sukoshi sabishiku nattemo  
  
Daijoubu, chanto mite imasu koko de  
  
______________________________________  
  
Translation courtesy of Pioneer Entertainment  
  
______________________________________  
  
Let's fly away to our usual place  
  
Tomorrow will be clear with the sun high up in the sky  
  
Even if you get a bit lonely  
  
It's okay I'll be watching you right here(3)  
  
______________________________________  
  
Karen thought about the boy's nightmare after he was once again asleep, it was like her own. Dreams what the Evangelions had done. There were many a night that she would not sleep after reliving those memories of the EVA, but it was more than seeing the events that happened, she felt them. The attack by the Fifth Angel that pierced her body, the acid of the Ninth that burned her, the Fifteenth. Always though the Angels took the form of those she knew, and always that same form. She remembered almost laughing the firdt time when Misato, as the Ninth, literally vomited the acid onto her. She didn't have to know for a fact that these were past events by anyone's account, more than anything she felt this to be true.  
  
She never told anyone of those dreams though, as she didn't want to draw that kind of attention to herself. If everyone thought her crazy then who would let her pilot the Evangelion? She wondered what kind of dreams she would pass on to her own children. It was true that the last was no where near as frightening as the Fifteenth was, but that didn't mean the rest would be.  
  
Did she even want to have children? All she could think of now was piloting EVA and finishing college, but she didn't plan on dying in combat. She thought about it all, 'What happens if all these new Angels are defeated? What will I do with the rest of my life? When everything about EVA is said and done, what then?'  
  
"Hello," her musings were broken by a very drunk Touji Suzuhara's entrance, "anybody home?" The proof of this was the color of his cheeks and the tie that he wore on his head.  
  
"Darling keep it down," Hikari said her own voice a little to loud for her to be very sober, "you're likely to wake Souske." After saying this the couple stumbled into the living room where Souske still slept soundly in Karen's lap. Silently Hikari hoped that Touji would not start singing that 'Tie a yellow ribbon' song that he had sung the entire cab ride home.  
  
"it's all right," Karen answered the mother's unspoken question, "he's still asleep." Fondly she caressed the boy's cheek, a smile that Hikari could not fathom on Karen's face. "He had a bad dream, I was comforting him."  
  
"I see," Hikari smile, her arms wrapped around her own body.  
  
"Well," Touji spoke, suddenly quite calm, "let's get him to bed then." Picking up his son Touji gently carried the boy back to his bed.  
  
"I'd better get home," Karen said as she picked herself up off the ground, "I have class tomorrow." Dusting herself off the deep blue eyed girl picked up her bag and headed for the door. "As always Mrs. Suzuhara, it was a pleasure." Putting her shoes on she walked out the door.  
  
"You're always welcome here," Hikari smiled to the door as it closed behind her, "Karen Ikari."  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
Karen and Misato didn't live too far from the Suzuhara's so she knew that the walk would not be too long. That still didn't change the fact that it was after midnight and there were still all sorts of weirdoes out at night. The fact that a black car was pulling up came as no surprise to her. It was probably one of those jerks that wanted to take her to a love hotel for the night. This made Karen wish that she had not turned down Misato's offer for a self defense class. Running her hands through her pockets Karen checked to make sure she still had it, her trusty mace.  
  
"Are you Karen Ikari?" A man in a black suit asked her from the driver's side of the car.  
  
"Who wants to know?" She was more than a little irate at the man for already knowing her name.  
  
"I'm Ryoma," he pulled out a badge with the NERV symbol on it, "I'm with section two. I was ordered by Col. Katsuragi to bring you to Head Quarters."   
  
Before Karen could utter a reply, her cell phone began to ring. The caller I.D. marked it as Misato's cell. Not even waiting for a response Misato said to the other end, "Get in the car." Before she went silent.  
  
It was then that Karen understood, for she saw the sleeping city come to life once again, lights blared, husbands were leaving their homes and kissing their wives, spot lights reached out to the heavens to light the way. Yes Karen understood then, there was another Angel.  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
The preparations this time were no where near as frightening as the first time, though it was still all very new to her, Karen went through the motions with no hesitation. There really wasn't much for her to do anyway, just get in her plug suit and wait on her plane.  
  
This was done in a matter of a few minutes. As she sat in the somewhat familiar plane, Karen's day began to catch up with her. She had been up since nearly six this morning, had attended many long classes and babysat a very energetic nine year old boy. As she reflected on her day an unexpected wave of exhaustion over took her, though she did not know what to expect or when she would arrive, the Sixth Child felt confident that she would have enough time to get some sleep. Not wanting to exhaust herself further before a battle, the Sixth gave in to her body's desire, and slept.  
  
She didn't know how long she was out, didn't care to know. Her sleep was as dreamless as she hoped after what had happened to Souske. As her eyes came into focus the first thing she saw was her guardian Misato.  
  
"You're awake?" Karen noticed that her guardian had gone into business mode, as she called it.  
  
"Yeah," she yawned the sleep from her body, "do you have any info this time?"  
  
"Funny," though clearly Misato thought differently, "we're heading to 30 degrees North, 160 degrees East. The new Angel was confirmed in the area about four hours ago."  
  
"What's it doing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?"  
  
"We don't know," the Operations Director handed the Sixth a picture of the area where the Angel was spotted, "you'll pilot Unit One and land on the Aircraft carrier ship, Oz."  
  
"Is this ocean equipment for Unit One finished?" She asked as she looked over the picture.  
  
"No, you'll be supporting Unit Two," Misato did not notice the surprised look on Karen's face, or if she did she tried hard not to look like she did, "you are to spread your A.T. Field to it's maximum in order to aid the Seventh Child."  
  
"You mean-"  
  
"Get into the EVA now." It was not a request, nor was it a debate, faced with this side of Misato, Karen had little choice but to follow orders.  
  
****************  
  
****************  
  
She thought it rather odd that the Evangelion sat on top of the carrier cross legged, but with her lack of room on the surface she had no choice. There was nothing for her to do, after she landed on the carrier Misato had gone silent and all she saw was the Second Evangelion dive into the water to where the Angel had been confirmed. She was not alone though, there were at least twelve other ships surrounding the Oz, ranging from battleships to submarines to destroyers. It reminded her of the dream she had about the Sixth Angel Attack.  
  
The night sky was like a dream, it was pure and pristine, no cloud dare touch it. Only the light of the moon dare invade. It's appearance however only enchanted it. This was the perfect night and maybe the perfect place to be with the one she loved.  
  
"Hey can you hear me?" The familiar voice asked over the communicator, sound only.  
  
"Mr. Nagisa?"  
  
"Kaworu, Kaworu," he reminded her of what he wanted her to call him, sighing abjectly, "so how are things going?"  
  
"Don't you know?" How could he not?  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"I'm support on this mission, the Seventh Child is actually fighting it."  
  
"Really," his voice still sounded the same, if Karen had not know him, she might mistake this voice for someone her own age. "Well support is important too."  
  
"How so?" He didn't answer the question, instead the warnings blared all about her Evangelion. "What's happening?" Her answer came but not as she had hoped it would.  
  
From the depths of the sea the Angel made it's presence know to her, this Angel, who had set it's sights on her, was twice as long as the EVA was tall. from it's back spread a pair of wide fins, the leathery tendons seemed so thin that it actually allowed the moonlight to pass through them, it's tail fin was like that of a dolphin's in comparison with the rest of it's body, just below it's fins were a pair of arms with three fingers on each of them. The Angel had no face, instead it had a brown mass just above it's mouth which contrasted with the gray that colored the rest of it's body. The mouth itself was a nothing but row after row of razor sharp teeth, in the center Karen found the core of the creature, it appeared to be cracked and damaged. Who ever the Seventh was he had at least put up a good fight.  
  
"Karen," through a wave of static that appeared to occur around the Angel Misato spoke, "finish it. The Seventh is too badly hurt to keep on fighting." Her voice reverberated with emergency.  
  
"Right," bringing her Prog. Knife to bear Karen readied to attack the still rising Angel. Trying to stay on the carrier, Karen thrust the knife towards the Angel. However the creature, dodged the thrust and dove back in to the water. "This is bad." The shadow of the beast could be seen in the moonlight speeding under the ships of the fleet. At any moment it could destroy on of the vessels, killing the crew.   
  
"Miss Misato," Karen spoke, hoping that she would be heard over the static, "what would happen if I fell into the water?"  
  
"You'd die," something of the Misato she knew from her home broke through then, terror, "the Angel would make short work of you."  
  
"And if it were already dead?"  
  
"No," she could make out that much over the static. Not waiting for a reply Karen jumped from the carrier into the sky above. At the same time the Angel rose to attack her.  
  
There was but one chance for victory and she knew it, if anything went wrong then it would be the death of her. Now it was all or nothing.  
  
As the two entities met in the night sky the end was decided. Grabbing the Angel by the neck the EVA assured it's safety and kept the teeth from it's body. Using the Progressive Knife in it's other hand it pierced the exposed core, shattering it to pieces. With the form of the Angel now going limp Karen used the EVA to pull it's neck down, then using it's body as a spring board she jumped further into the air and away from the Angel. It could not have been done too soon, for as she landed in the water the Angel exploded.  
  
She sank then waiting for the rescue teams, it would not take long now that the Angel was defeated. Soon she saw her savior, Unit Two. It was badly damaged but it could still swim.  
  
"Hey Red," it was a familiar voice one she hadn't heard in a while, but one she would never forget, "it's been a while hasn't it?"  
  
"Joe?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Note 1: I know that some may find this odd, but in Japan they do use curry as a pizza topping, my point of reference for this is Shin Tenchi Muyo, Great Teacher Onizuka and Oh! My Goddess.  
  
Note 2: Kotatsu is a low table with a space heater underneath and a blanket to cover a persons lap sandwiched between the tabletop and a second uppermost tabletop. Points of reference are Risky/Safety, Love Hina and I believe Ai Yori Aoshi.  
  
Note 3: The song is called So Re I Yu, it's sung by Ayako Kawasumi and is the intro to the second season of Mahoromatic 'Something more beautiful'. I liked it, so in turn I used it. Also I have been planning his scene since I began writing Continuation of Evangelion and have been debating on the best song to use since that time. I think I made a good choice given the overall tone of the scene and the song itself.  
  
So in any event there it is, chapter five. It came out to be pretty lengthy compared to the last one. Well hope I have I entertained you, feel free to tell me yay or nay.  
  
Ryuhiko@hotmail.com 


	6. One Betrayal After Another

* * *

I don't own Evangelion, its characters or anything worthwhile, I just have my little stories  
  
One Betrayal After Another  
  
Once the entry plugs were removed from their respective Evangelions and onboard the deck of the carrier Oz, Karen found herself face to face with him, Yuu Joseph Williams, someone that she never wanted to see again. It was true that Karen had once been drawn to this boy, but that was the past. All she felt now was hatred, in the past he had betrayed her trust, tried to do something he had no right to. The incident that had happened between the two had been more than six months ago, but she could remember it all clearly. She hadn't told anyone why she felt the way she did, she never would. Not even to Aunt Rei or Kaworu  
  
"How have you been Red?" He wore an orange and white plug suit, his smile was somewhat crooked, some of the girls back in America had found that to be very charming. Karen had once thought it to be very charming, but not anymore.  
  
"What the Hell are you doing here Joe?" Had Misato not put a restraining arm on Karen she might have attacked him.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" he said bringing his hands up, "I'm the pilot of Unit Two, the Seventh Child and the guy who just saved your butt."  
  
"You did no such thing!" Her voice echoed over the ships deck. "I'm the one who defeated the Angel, something you weren't able to I might add."  
  
"That's enough you too," Misato said as she squeezed Karen's shoulder tighter, "we're going to take this ship back to Tokyo-3 until that time both of you are confined to quarters."  
  
"That's fine with me," the Seventh said as he walked away, "I needed to get some sleep."  
  
"You can't be serious," Karen looked into Misato's eyes pleadingly, "I didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"You disobeyed my orders when you attacked the Angel."  
  
"I wouldn't have had to if he had done his job," she pointed to the figure walking into the ship's interior, tearing herself away from Misato's arms.  
  
"Regardless," Misato stood upright, her eyes as cold as stone, "you disobeyed my orders."  
  
"I don't believe this," as Karen spoke every word made her sound more hysterical than the last, "after the crap he pulled and everything that's happened you-" Evenly, without any kind of reaction Misato slapped the Sixth Child across the mouth. As Karen recoiled and touched her throbbing cheek she could see that Misato was all business.  
  
"I'll not tell you again Miss Ikari," she spoke coldly, in a way that Karen had never seen her do so before. It scared her, but at that moment she would rather die than show weakness.  
  
"Fine," Karen's simple response was just as cold, the emotions swimming through her were becoming too much as she fought to suppress them. She spun on her heels, her red hair caught a passing breeze.  
  
There would not be any more words between Misato and her Goddaughter that night, or for a while. She knew the emotions that that boy brought out of her were terrible. She remembered how Karen cried herself to sleep for almost a week after they had almost come to physical blows, but she also knew how temperamental a seventeen year old girl could be. Whatever the trouble was that happened between the two would have to be settled and soon, lest all of humanity pay the price.

* * *

Many things had changed since the Angels attacked nearly twenty years ago, many things did not. Misato's filing reports was one of the latter. Technically the mission had gone well, the Angel was defeated and Unit Two's oceanic type equipment had proven to work well enough, the confrontation between the pilots was in truth the worst case scenario.   
  
Unlike the previous Angels, this group had no set number. Some even argued that these weren't Angels like the others, but something entirely different. Their information was also too fragmented. In a way it made Misato miss the old Commander Ikari, Rei had the same unwavering resolve as him, but her knowledge of the situation wasn't anywhere near his.  
  
Rei was working with the best she could however. There was much speculation as to if the Seele Council still even existed, Rei and Kaworu believed that they did and for Misato that was enough. These creatures were their machinations made for their purpose. Misato just wanted to know what. She could not live with the thought of Karen facing a similar fate as her parents, it tore her up inside.  
  
It wasn't too long that Misato found herself staring into the computer screen actually smiling. Somewhere along her musings she realized something important. Karen Ikari was acting more or less like a normal teenage girl. Though Misato hadn't had a normal childhood and the first three Children didn't even have a childhood. Karen however was able to cry over a lost love, would get angry over trivial things. She knew that right now she was busy going over the final preparations of her sleep over.  
  
Sitting in her office at NERV headquarters, Misato counted her blessings. More than anything her parent's wishes for Karen had come true, she was living a somewhat normal life.

* * *

Despite Karen's preparations for something she had wanted for a long time, she was very down trodden. Only a few hours ago Misato had struck and betrayed her, her cheek still throbbed and her heart felt broken, how could Misato have misunderstood her so much.  
  
Part of Karen wanted to call the whole thing off, she didn't want Chi and Reika to see her as she felt now. Still she knew that if anyone could help her it was them, the three of them had known each other for at least twelve years. Even though Karen had left them to live in America for a while, they remained good friends.  
  
In fact it wasn't until Karen actively started to pilot EVA that she felt herself distancing from them, as they were doing to her. Lately the only thing Chi could talk about was her boyfriend Hideki, also Reika had been spending time a lot more time with her twin brother Ayato since they met.  
  
Karen found out recently that Reika was adopted, this made Reika her want to track down her real parents, something Karen could understand. Then about three months ago a miracle occurred and she found her brother Ayato. Since then she had been spending more time with him than anyone, even went as far as to get him transferred to the same school as her and Chi.  
  
With her friends moving on with their lives and her own extra activities she felt herself distancing from everyone outside of NERV.  
  
In any event the little reunion would not take place for a few hours, also since the Angel attack and the turmoil afterwards she decided to take the day off from class. That left her with damn near a whole day to sit and brood by herself. That was unless of course she made other plans.  
  
When she heard a knock on her door, Karen immediately stopped all planning, Chi and Reika both had school until noon on Saturdays and Aunt Rei made certain that no one of ill will knew anything about Karen. That meant it could only be Section Two, so they had some tests for her, still she wondered why they didn't even bother calling first.  
  
"Mister Nagisa?" The Sixth Child stared open mouthed at the Sub-Commander of NERV, "What are you doing here?" Like always Kaworu smiled his almost sad smile, however this time his eyes held no joy.  
  
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" without changing the expression on her face Karen motioned for him to enter. "Thank you." He said entering. The apartment that Misato lived in now was not unlike the one she lived in twenty years ago, in fact it was the same one. It had survived more than just Third Impact and had been renovated many times over the years.  
  
Misato had many opportunities to move for good, but she kept the place as a reminder of them. Actually Karen's room now was the same room that both Asuka and Shinji slept in at some point in time. Things were not left the same though, most of Shinji and Asuka's personal belongings were gone since they had moved out on their own before they...  
  
Also Pen-Pen's refrigerator was gone. Karen could still remember the old bird, he died when she was around five. She smiled every time Misato told her that Pen-Pen was a better parent than she was. This was however not time for nostalgia.  
  
"Is there something I could help you with?" Karen said, closing the door, "Do you want some tea or anything?" When Kaworu entered the living room, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the air around him, despite the time he could still smell some of 'him' in the air.  
  
"I came to see how you were," he said when he opened his eyes again, "sorry I had to take off on you, I heard that something happened with you and Misato after the battle." That was right, Karen did not hear a word of Kaworu after the battle.  
  
"Well," Karen's eyes strayed from him, the whole thing left a bad taste in her mouth, between Joe's arrival and Misato's betrayal she felt like she could not win. The events affected her so much that she stopped looking Kaworu in the eyes without realizing it.  
  
"I thought something was wrong," Kaworu said as he brought his face to mere centimeters from her own, "do you want to talk about it?" Kaworu's scent at that distance was consuming her, his breath warmed her face more than her blush at the time.  
  
"I'd rather not think about it," Karen tried to look away from Kaworu, but as she did he brought his hands up to her face and held her gaze in his. She was transfixed by those eyes. At that moment Kaworu Nagisa seemed like the universe, she wavered under that almost magical gaze to the point where she could not control her body. Acting on an instinct she didn't think, she lifted herself up just enough that her face was even with his. Continuing her bizarre motions Karen brought her lips to his and kissed him.  
  
Kaworu was surprised to say the least. He had not expected the young Miss Ikari to be this bold, yet as her lips touched his he could feel a nostalgia that he did not want to fight, thoughts of someone filling his mind.  
  
"I'm sorry," Karen said as she stepped back and tried to bow, "I don't know what just came over me I just wanted to-" Karen was interrupted when Kaworu grabbed her face with his hands and resumed kissing her, this time more deeply.  
  
Felling his lips on her's Karen melted into ecstasy, this was what she had wanted for as long as she could remember, finally she would be together with Kaworu. He kissed her forcefully as he held her face with his hand. Both moaned into that kiss, but one sound was more audible than anything, it was a name uttered by Kaworu, it was a name that Karen knew well. "Shinji," he said as he breathed into the kiss.  
  
Karen pushed Kaworu away forcefully when she heard it. Her eyes tore apart with confusion, anger and sadness. Not knowing what else to do she ran. She ran out her home and into the streets, she needed to get away, far away, as far as possible for the turn of events was more than bizarre and she could not help the feeling of betrayal that consumed her.

* * *

Karen wandered dazed around the city, her mind blank. She did not think about what had happened, she did not want to. When Kaworu spoke her father's name while he kissed her childhood shattered. Did he see her father's face every time he looked at her, was that also why Aunt Rei was kind around her, because every time she looked at Karen she saw Shinji staring back at her.  
  
Karen knew that Rei was no blood relation of her's, she knew that Rei was first called Ayanami. Misato said that Rei took the Ikari name because she didn't want to be called Ayanami anymore, but why? Was it because of her father? Was that really why she was nice to Karen, because of her father?  
  
As she wandered the city rain began to fall, but she did not notice. The clouds made the afternoon sky a dreary gray, but she didn't care. As the heavens wept she felt her clothing beginning to weigh her down like her past had. Yet all of it was the least of her concerns.   
  
Wandering aimlessly Karen found her way to what she thought was the center of the city, to NERV HQ. The structure wasn't the same as that which was destroyed after Third Impact. This was built by man in it's remains, though it still resembled a pyramid it was nothing like the building of old. For one thing it was a fraction of the size and built only to house the two EVA units. It was also equipped with three separate runways to launch the support planes that aided the deployments.  
  
At least that was the part above ground. Below there was a whole network of tunnels, rooms and other things built to house and support the next generation Magi Supercomputers. There was probably more than even that, but at the moment Karen didn't care, all she wanted to do was confirm her suspicions by asking Aunt Rei herself what she felt.  
  
"What do you mean it's losing it's effectiveness," Karen heard a familiar voice speak, "Doctor Ibuki?" Instinctively, Karen pressed herself against a corner where she heard her aunt speak. "You told me that the procedure was perfect, that Karen would never know."  
  
The young girl held in a gasp as she heard her name being spoken, wondering silently what procedure they were talking about.  
  
"The procedure itself was perfect," the Doctor spoke bitterly, "however introducing the Seventh Child may be too much for her reality to handle."  
  
She thought of what they could mean when they spoke of her reality. Had they really done something to alter her mind or her body?  
  
"I didn't have a choice in the matter," she spoke with a familiar monotone, "the U.N. brought him her. I'm sure that this was all planned out by 'them'."  
  
"It doesn't matter in the least now," the Doctor sighed, "eventually she will want Chi Motosuwa and Reika Mishima to meet him, or they will occur in some conversation she has with him."  
  
She repressed another gasp, she had never told Aunt Rei Chi or Reika's name. She also didn't know Doctor Ibuki well enough to talk about them with her. Yet they seemed to know their names... why?  
  
"I can make sure that he does not interact with her," breathed patiently, like she was speaking to a small child and not a scientist ten years her senior, "in the mean time I suggest you work on an improved procedure."  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore," the doctor sighed, defeated, "we should have never done that to her to begin with anyway. You're aware of it too aren't you Rei," her voice became desperate, "sooner or later she will figure it out, we can't keep this game going on forever."  
  
What in the world were they talking about? What had they done to her mind? What the hell was going on?  
  
"She'll find out," the doctor repeated herself bitterly, "and she'll hate you for it Rei, then what will you do without your stand-in for Shinji?"  
  
Karen finally gasped at that, but not so loud that she would be discovered. Her eyes teared up as she realized she was right, the only reason that Aunt Rei was nice, that she cared was the same as Kaworu's. It was because every time she looked at Karen she saw Shinji stating back at her.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Rei spoke with what Karen thought was an overpowering monotone, "the schedule is being pushed up. Soon she will to be too busy to realize that neither Chi Motosuwa nor Reika Mishima ever existed."  
  
"What did you say?" Karen said, appearing from behind her corner. "What do you mean?" When she appeared Rei's back was to her. She would not turn around to look at Karen and the Sixth got the same cold feeling that she got when Rei thought she wasn't around. Doctor Ibuki, who turned her head away from Karen, was absorbed in her own feelings of self loathing and disgust. "Someone answer me."  
  
"Why?" Rei Ikari spoke coldly, "you are well aware of what just transpired aren't you?" She then began to walk away. "If not we can just pretend that this never happened."  
  
Not knowing what else to do she again ran away. She ran without thinking, she ran for what felt like forever through the pouring rain. She ran and ran until she felt that she could run no more.  
  
Eventually she stopped, her lungs burning her inside while the rain froze her outside. Catching her breath she started to walk. Without noticing herself, her cellular phone materialized in her hands and she found herself pressing familiar numbers. She expected someone on the other end to pick-up, one of her friends maybe, but instead she received a message, then again when she tried to dial another number.  
  
"The phone number that you are trying to call either does not exist or is not on at the moment. Please hang up and try again later." The automated message said, but no matter how many times she tried it the results were the same.  
  
"Hello," an old voice said, "Karen." When Karen Ikari looked up from her phone she saw an older man, one she recognized from pictures. His hair was gray and he wore a thin beard and golden colored glasses, he was clothed in a black uniform from head to toe. His left hand clutched his right wrist, just as she remembered. Most noticeable, however, was that there was no hand on that clutched wrist. He smiled to her, gently and said "it's been a while."  
  
Yes this was a man that Karen had seen many times in pictures and had read about in books. It was a man that she thought long dead.  
  
"Grandfather," it was her grandfather, Gendo Ikari.

* * *

So after a few months off this story I've come back. I learned a lot while writing 'Of Wind and Forest' and even more writing 'Where her Softness Lies' so I thought I would apply it here. I had a lot of good ideas here and hope that someone out there is reading this, anyway to the person who wrote UPATE!! about three hundred times I hope you enjoy this, and to anyone else I hope the same for you.  
  
Ryuhikohotmail.com 


	7. Her Choice

To those of you that are waiting patiently for this story to continue I thank you and hope that this latest chapter lives up to you expectations.

Her Choice

The rain continued to pound away, the waters fell with such speed and strength that she feared she may have to take her eyes off the sight in front of her eyes. Someone whom she thought long since passed on, someone from her past, whom she never met. Her family, not like Misato or even Aunt Rei, someone with whom she shared a blood bond.

Yet at the same time it represented danger. This man had brought nothing but fear and hatred into her parent's lives. He had pushed the human race to the brink of extinction just too full fill his own selfish ambitions. This man was both family and a stranger to her, he was the source of her greatest grief and benefit. He had created the giant that she now rode, the only real link she had to her father.

Yes this man was these things and many more. He was the grandfather to Karen Ikari and once the leader of EVA and thus the free world, he was Gendo Ikari and he was a man who, by all rights, should have been dead.

"You're," Karen was at a loss for words, "but you're suppose to be-"

"Dead," he interrupted her sentence, "yes I know. Come with me," he held out his hand, the only hand he had, and beckoned to her, "come with me Karen, there are many things you should know."

"Are you really here?" Karen asked, "Or am I imagining you. You're not real," with each passing word her voice sounded more strained, more afraid. "You can't be real, you're supposed to be dead." She turned away then and fell into a fetal position while remaining on her feet, she covered her head with her hands and shut her eyes tightly. "Go away, I don't need anymore ghosts in my life." She didn't know when nor how but somewhere along the way she started to cry, she could tell her tears from the pouring rain as they were much warmer.

"Karen," he looked down at her scared form, "this was not what I wanted for you." He whispered. Kneeling down next to her he removed a wet handkerchief from his jacket, then he placed the cloth on the sobbing child's face, covering her mouth and nose. When she realized what was happening her eyes went wide, then hazy as the cloriphorm did it's work.

Mere seconds later she was unconscious and lying over into her grandfathers arms. It took half as long for the two men to appear behind him, without looking at Gendo Ikari they took the Sixth Child to a nearby car. Then waiting for the elder man they drove off.

"This was not what I wanted for you at all." he said again as he stroked the sleeping girl's hair, his voice tinged with the slightest hint of sadness.

* * *

As her eyes opened she gazed upon an unfamiliar ceiling, then an unfamiliar wall. Feeling with her body she could tell that she was in a bed of some kind, a heavy blanket covering her body. She was no longer in her rain soaked clothing, but rather in clothing of similar make.

When she rose from her bed he was there, he sat at her bedside, his legs crossed. The man that Aunt Rei's and Doctor Ibuki's procedures recreated from her memories and emotions, there was no way he could have lived, Misato had shown her his page in the obituaries.

"I'm glad you are awake." The voice spoke evenly, however the cold, unfeeling resonance that everyone told her about was not there. He seemed to her as if trying to hold his emotions in check, as if he would loss the control he was known for in a second.

"Are you real?" She asked as her breath left her. "Aunt Rei and Misato both told me you died after Third Impact." When she tried to leave the bed her head swam, as if it was the morning after she had just snuck a couple of Misato's Yebisu.

"Easy," he placed his hand on her shoulder to steady her, "the clorophyorm hasn't finished working through you're system." When he said so she stopped clutching her head and looked at him. "Can you explain how an illusion could drug you?"

"Then you're," he nodded subtly, "but they said you killed yourself after my father was killed in Unit One's reactivation seventeen years ago." Her hands found their way to the blanket that covered her, then she clenched the comforter tightly. "So that was a lie too?"

"Partially," he spoke again, "I was supposed to die after Shinji, but I found out something that they didn't want me to know." Gendo looked her in the eyes and smiled, it was a rare smile, not one laden with sarcasm like when he was in command of NERV, it was genuine, pure. "I found out about you."

"What is going on?" It was a simple question, but at the same time very complex, it was the question that she felt was at the heart of her existence. Rising from her bedside, Gendo Ikari once again beckoned her with his hand, this time she took it.

"For a long time I've waited to meet you," he said as he held her hand walking through a vast hall, "but Rei was always watching, I couldn't expose my existence to you without fear of consequences to either me or you-"

"Aunt Rei would never lay a hand on me," she said as she looked at the floor they trod, "I remind her too much of my father." She spoke with resignation, Rei Ikari had been like her guardian angel, always protecting her from harm, from others.

"You seem," Gendo spoke as he walked, almost afraid to look at her, "a little like your mother to me." When Gendo encountered resistance, he stopped, seeing Karen behind him, still clutching his hand.

"I think that's the first time," Karen smiled, "that someone has compared me to my mother, it feels kind of strange." She stared vacantly her head facing more forward than down, "but I'm not my mother, and I'm not my father. I'll never be them, no matter how much Misato or Aunt Rei or Kaworu or anyone want me to be." Her eyes came into focus when she felt a scarred, strong hand caress her cheek.

"No you are not." Gendo Ikari's eyes were warm ready to overflow at any minute, "you are you. You are Karen Ikari." Karen closed her eyes and put her own hand over the one that caressed her, this man was nothing like what she had heard, he was warm, he was caring. He seemed similar in the way that he cared for her to Aunt Rei, but she could feel his warmth all the way to her core.

"Grandfather," she spoke with falling tears, in a voice that neither shuddered nor quaked, this man may actually been the family that she had searched for, someone of blood relation to her.

"It sounds nice," he said, "when you call me that. However we have things to do." They started to walk again, this time however he did not hold her hand. "Do you know what's going on?"

"About the Angels?" He nodded, seeming to save time, "not much, only that they carry with them enough power to cause another Impact."

"Then you should also know that they are not angels."

"What?" Karen stopped and stared at her Grandfather, wide eyed. "That can't be right, if they aren't angels then what are they?"

"Evangelion." Sensing her movements Gendo also stopped, "those things that you are fighting are Evangelion." She seemed frightened, but he dare not look at her. After over forty years of manipulations and machinations this was his chance to make amends. However he questioned his strength, could he dare look his own grandchild in the eyes and force such a sin upon her.

"My life for the past forty years has been nothing but one sin after another," now he spoke as she had heard, his voice even, words coming out of a man of stone, yet still she could not forget the kindness in his eyes earlier, "and repeatedly I have had to force someone else to shoulder this burden. Now is no different, I need you to do this for me, Karen."

"What?" She balled her fists and forced herself to be just as even as this man, "Do you just need me because of Eva as well?"

"You're wrong," he shook his head, "I need you to leave this city and never return," she was not as seasoned at hiding her emotions as He was, so naturally when he said this she was taken by surprise. "However that is not all," He adjusted his eyeglasses with his index finger.

"I can't," her voice was numb, "I can't just pick up and go like that, what about Misato, or the Suzuhara's, or all the other people who need me to protect them from what those things, what ever they are, can do?" What about all that I have left of my parents, she silently thought.

"They don't matter," his voice still as cool as ever, "All that matters is keeping the same mistake from happening again twenty years later." He needed to keep his voice calm, needed to be that Bastard King that others had spoken about behind his back.

"I can't do it," she shook her head, feeling no match for the stern eyes of Gendo Ikari, "I need time to think, about this, about everything else."

"Then go," he lead her to a door, there was no grand hallway, no great reception, this door when opened would lead her to a car, one that would take her home, "but our time is limited. In three days I will seek you out, please do not fight me then."

"I understand." she looked out to the sky beyond that door, there was no trace of the clouds that had brought the once fierce onslaught of water, barely a few puddles scattered about. She wondered briefly about how long she had been incapacitated, but thought nothing of it. There were more important things to think about now.

She had spent the rest of that day and well into that evening thinking about what her grandfather had offered. There was more to it than just abandoning Evangelion, of that she was certain, but she had rushed out before she had gotten any real answers.

As Karen lay in her bed, she wondered if the encounter was even real. She had begun to notice some inconsistencies in her memories involving Chi and Reika. They were never apart and always agreed on whatever Karen had decided, they had been almost insistent on doing things with just the three of them, she also began to wonder if the two images in her mind had ever even changed clothes.

Rolling over she cursed herself for being so analytical of her own life, she should be cursing Aunt Rei's name, making a unique out of Kaworu or something angry like that, but all she could do was think. She wished that she had more than three days to decide whether to disappear from the world forever or not.

She knew that if she went with her grandfather that her life would be one of constant running, of always looking over her shoulder, of hiding. However if she continued on as she did she would face alienation from the few people that she still held close to her, she could die or worse lose someone that she loved. Still that outcome was possible in both choices.

Her musings were cut short as her cell phone rang. The hour was ungodly and she knew that it could mean only one thing.

It was time to go to work.

* * *

Gendo followed the conversation on Karen's mobile phone, the conversation seemed innocuous enough, yet there was a series of coded messages between the two. Judging from the conversation Karen had not made up her mind in regards to him and it saddened Gendo.

Sitting in an office chair, with his hand resting on his other wrist just at the bridge of his nose he smiled.

"You advanced the time table," he spoke to the empty room, "well played Rei."

-to be continued

whew, most of that was written in the expanse of a few hours. Sorry about the cliffhanger before but I have been suffering the worst case of writers block I have ever had. I'm still trying to figure out why I can write one story so easily and spend twice the time getting out half the work on another. Well in any event please enjoy this chapter and look forward to more, this damn thing is finally starting to come along


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